Brush-cutting machine



No. 6l2,726. Patented Oct. l8 I898. A. L. HASTINGS & L. m. scorn BRUSH CUTTING MACHINE.

(Application filed Oct. 7, 1897.) (No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 1|.

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No. 612.726. Patented Oct. l8, I898. A. L. HASTINGS & L. M. SCOTT. BRUSH CUTTING MACHINE.

(Application filed Oct. 7, 1897.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W/ TNESSES m: Moms Pzrzns co., Pr uvuurnu, WASHINGTON. n. c.

NITED STATES PATENT UFFICE.

ALFRED L. HASTINGS AND LUCIUS M. SCOTT, OF SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA.

BRUSH-CUTTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 612,726, dated October 18, 1898.

Application filed October 7, 1897. Serial No. 654,360. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, ALFRED L. HASTINGS and LUOIUs M. SCOTT, of San J os, in the county of Santa Clara and State of California,

have invented a new and Improved Brush- Cutting Machine, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved cutting-machine more especially designed for cutting brush, Weeds, prunings, &c., into small pieces and distributing the same over the ground to permit of conveniently plowing the pieces under for fertilizing purposes.

The invention consists of certain parts and details and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of the improvement on the line 1 1 in Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a rear end elevation of the same. Fig. 4 is an enlarged rear end elevation of the cutting device. Fig. 5 is a partly-sectional side elevation of the same on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4, and Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional side elevation of the adjusting-bearing for the main axle.

The improved brush-cutting machine is provided with suitable side wheels A, mounted on an axle B and connected therewith by means of a suitable ratchet mechanism, so that upon a forward motion of the machine the wheels A rotate the axle B, but upon a backward motion thereof the rotation of the wheels A will not-afiect the axle, which then does not turn. The axle B is journaled in longitudinally-adjustable bearings C, (see Fig. 6,) held on a frame D, provided at its forward end with a tongue E for the team used in drawing the machine over the ground. On the rear end of the frame D is journaled a guide or supporting wheel F, and on the top of the said frame is arranged a seat G for the driver, as plainly shown in the drawings.

Curved rake-teeth I-I, placed a suitable distance apart, extend with their points in a forward direction close to the ground, as plainly indicated in Fig. 1, and the upper forward.

ends of the said curved rake-teeth are hung loosely on a shaft or rod H, supported on suitable brackets D, attached to the frame D.

Now when the machine is drawn over the ground the brush, prunings, weeds, and the like are gathered up by the rake-teeth II and travel up the same in an upward and rear- Ward direction to finally come in contact with a cutting device operating in conjunction with the rake-teeth in the rear and a suitable distance above the points of the teeth, so that the material is out into small pieces, which drop between the rake-teeth to the ground in the rear of the points of the teeth. This cutting-machine consists principally of knifeguardsI and cutters or knives J, preferably made S shaped, each pair of knives and guards being between adjacent rake-teeth, as is plainly indicated in the drawings. The guards I are supported from a transverse rod I, carried in brackets 1 attached to the frame D, and the knivesJ are secured on a transverse shaft J, journaled in suitable bearings in the brackets 1 (See Figs. 4 and 5.) I

On the shaft J, and near the middle thereof, is secured a sprocket-wheel K, over which passes a sprocket-chain K, also passing over a sprocket-wheel K secured on the axle B, so that when the latter is rotated a rotary motion is transmitted by the sprocket wheels K and K and the sprocket-chain K to the shaft J and the several knives or cutters J, so that their cutting edges operate in conjunction with the knife-guards I to shear the material passing between the guards and knives. The knivesJ are preferably made S shape in form, and the several knives are set at angles to each other, as is plainly indicated in Fig. 5, so that the knives act successively on the brush to cut the same into small pieces.

It is understood that the knives are close to the knife-guards I, and the latter are curved to insurea proper shearing of the material traveling up the rake-teeth as the machine is moved forward.

The lower ends or points of the guards I extend somewhat below the top surfaces of the rake-teeth and up which surfaces the material travels, so that the material is directly guided upon the curved edges of the guards to be cut into small pieces by the revoluble cutters or knives J.

By the arrangement described, the small pieces into which the material is cut drops between the rake-teeth down to the ground a suitable distance in the rear of the. points of the rake-teeth, so that the cut pieces do not come in contact withthe upwardly-traveling brush or the brush in front of the rake-teeth, and consequently the pieces are equally dis tributed over the ground to be in position for being plowed under for fertilizing purposes, as above mentioned.

Each rake-tooth II is engaged near its upper end by a loop or link L, and the several links are held on a transverse rod N, carried by a lever O, fulcrumed at O on a bracket attached to the frame D. The lever O is curved to extend alongside the seat G, so as to be within easy reach of the driver, and on the said lever is fulcrumed a hook Q, fulcrumed on the lever O and adapted to engage with its end the rod or shaft II at the time the lever O is thrown forward and llllQltkG- teeth are raised off the ground, soas to lock the rake-teeth in the raised position, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. By this arrangement the rake-teeth may be thrown out of action at any time and locked in an inactive position.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A brush-cutting machine, comprising a supporting-frame, curved rake-teeth carried by said frame, a transverse rod carried in brackets secured to the rear portion of the frame, curved knife-guards supported from said transverse rod and extending between the rake-teeth, a transverse shaft journaled in bearings in the said brackets, and revoluble cutters carried by said shaft and operating in conjunction with the said guards to cut the brush passing up the teeth and upon the guards, substantially as described.

2. A brush-cutting machine provided with a frame having side supporting-wheels, the axle of which is j ournaled in longitudinallyadjustable bearings held on said frame, the saidframe being also provided at its rear end with a guide-wheel, curved rake-teeth spaced apart and extending with their points in a forward direction close to the ground, the upper ends of the said curved teeth extending upwardly and forwardly and hung loosely on a shaft supported on brackets attached to the frame, fixed knife-guards extending between the rake-teeth and located above the points thereof, and revoluble cutters carried by a transverse shaft and operating in conjunction with the said .guards, the said cutters being driven from the axle of the supporting-wheels, substantially as shown and described.

3. A brush-cutting machine, comprising hinged, the points of the said teeth extending downwardly and forwardly, fixed knifeguards supported on a transverse rod and extending between the rake-teeth and above the points thereof, the lower edges of the guards being curved upwardly and forwardly and the lower ends or points of the guards extending below the top surface of the raketeeth when the latter are in the operative position, and revoluble cutters secured on a transverse shaft journaled in the frame forward of the rod carrying the guards, the said cutters operating in conjunction with the said guards, substantially as described.

4. A brush-cutting machine, comprising curved rake-teeth having their upper ends hung loosely on a shaft or rod supported on the frame of the machine, the points of the said teeth extending in a forward direction close to the ground, fixed knife-guards supported on a transverse rod and extending between the rake-teeth at the rear and above the points thereof, the lower edges of the said guards being curved upwardly and forwardly from the rake-teeth and the lower ends or points of the guards extending below the top surface of the rake-teeth when the latter are in the operative position, revoluble S-shaped cutters secured on a transverse shaft journaled in the frame forward of the rod carry ing the guards, the said cutters operating in conjunction with the said guards to cut the brush passing up the teeth and onto the said curved edges, and means for rotating the said cutters upon moving the machine forward over the ground, substantially as set forth.

5. A brush-cutting machine provided with rake-teeth mounted loosely 011 a shaft or rod supported by the frame of the machine, loops for engaging the said rake-teeth, a lever having a rearwardly-extendin g member carrying the said loops, and an upwardly-extending member extending near the drivers seat, and a hook fulcrumed on the said upwardly-extending member and extending rearwardly to engage the rod carrying the rake-teeth to lock the rake-teeth in position when the latter are raised off the ground, substantially as set forth.

6. A brush-cutting machine provided with rake-teeth hung loosely at their upper forward ends on a shaft or rod supported on brackets secured to the frame of the machine, loops for engaging the said rake-teeth, a transverse rod on which the loops are held, a lever having an approximately vertical portion extending alongside the seat, and a rear wardly-extending portion carrying the said transverse rod, and a hook fulcrumed on the vertical portion of the lever and extending rearwardly to engage with its hooked end the rod on which the rake-teeth are mounted when the rake-teeth are raised off the ground, as set forth. I

-7. A brush-cutting machine, comprising a frame provided with side wheels, upwardlyextending brackets carried by saidframe, a

ing located forward of the rod carrying the guards, a sprocket-wheel secured on the said shaft, and a sprocket-chain connecting the 15 said sprocket-wheel with a sprocket-wheel on the axle of the side wheels, substantially as set forth.

ALFRED L. HASTINGS. LUeIUs M. soor'r.

Witnesses:

WESLEY PIEPER, OTTO. SOHNABEL. 

